Throughout the history of The Episcopal Church, our liturgies have included not only scripture readings appointed for various days, but also the option of including readings from Christian apologists, theologians and teachers from centuries of Christian thought. While these readings never replace the selections from the Old and New Testament in liturgical worship, they can be used as a basis for thought and reflection in our meditations and homilies.
As we begin the season of Lent, let us reflect on one such writer, Peter Chysologus. According to the Patron Saints Index, Peter was born in Imola, Italy near the end of the fourth century CE. Early in his ordained ministry, he was identified by Pope Sixtus III as an inspired and blessed person. He is known as “The Doctor of Homilies,:” famous for his short but inspired talks (legend has it he kept his sermons short because he always feared boring his audience!). The name Chrysologus means “golden words,” and few in history have said so much in such a small number of words. More than 170 of his sermons have been preserved. He died in 450, and July 30th is set as his feast day.
In Peter’s Sermon #43, he reflects on our Lenten disciplines. This is what Peter Chrysologus has to say to the Church, both in his time and in ours.
There are three things by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting, and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.
Fasting is the soul of prayer; mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others you open God’s ear to yourself.
When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself what you deny to others, your asking is a mockery.
Let this be the pattern for all when they practice mercy: show mercy to others in the same way, with the same generosity, with the same promptness, as you want others to show mercy to you.
Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, on speech in our defense, a threefold united prayer in our favor.
Let us use fasting to make up for what we have lost by despising others. Let us offer our souls in sacrifice by means of fasting. There is nothing more pleasing that we can offer to God , as the psalmist said in prophecy, “A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God does not despise a bruised and humbled heart.
Offer your soul to God, make him an oblation of your fasting, so that your soul may be a pure offering, a holy sacrifice, a living victim, remaining your own and at the same time made over to God. Whoever fails to give this to God will not be excused, for if you are to give him yourself you are never without the means of giving.
To make these acceptable, mercy must be added. Fasting bears no fruit unless it is watered by mercy. Fasting dries up when mercy dries up. Mercy is to fasting as rain is to the earth. However much you may cultivate your heart, clear the soil of your nature, root out vices, sow virtues. If you don not release the springs of mercy, your fasting will bear no fruit.
When you fast, if your mercy is thin, your harvest will be thin; when you fast, what you pour out in mercy overflows into your barn. Therefore, do not lose by saving, but gather in by scattering. Give to the poor and give to yourself. You will not be allowed to keep what you have refused to give to others.
Let us keep a holy Lent in prayer, fasting and mercy. Amen.
As we begin the season of Lent, let us reflect on one such writer, Peter Chysologus. According to the Patron Saints Index, Peter was born in Imola, Italy near the end of the fourth century CE. Early in his ordained ministry, he was identified by Pope Sixtus III as an inspired and blessed person. He is known as “The Doctor of Homilies,:” famous for his short but inspired talks (legend has it he kept his sermons short because he always feared boring his audience!). The name Chrysologus means “golden words,” and few in history have said so much in such a small number of words. More than 170 of his sermons have been preserved. He died in 450, and July 30th is set as his feast day.
In Peter’s Sermon #43, he reflects on our Lenten disciplines. This is what Peter Chrysologus has to say to the Church, both in his time and in ours.
There are three things by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting, and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.
Fasting is the soul of prayer; mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others you open God’s ear to yourself.
When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself what you deny to others, your asking is a mockery.
Let this be the pattern for all when they practice mercy: show mercy to others in the same way, with the same generosity, with the same promptness, as you want others to show mercy to you.
Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, on speech in our defense, a threefold united prayer in our favor.
Let us use fasting to make up for what we have lost by despising others. Let us offer our souls in sacrifice by means of fasting. There is nothing more pleasing that we can offer to God , as the psalmist said in prophecy, “A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God does not despise a bruised and humbled heart.
Offer your soul to God, make him an oblation of your fasting, so that your soul may be a pure offering, a holy sacrifice, a living victim, remaining your own and at the same time made over to God. Whoever fails to give this to God will not be excused, for if you are to give him yourself you are never without the means of giving.
To make these acceptable, mercy must be added. Fasting bears no fruit unless it is watered by mercy. Fasting dries up when mercy dries up. Mercy is to fasting as rain is to the earth. However much you may cultivate your heart, clear the soil of your nature, root out vices, sow virtues. If you don not release the springs of mercy, your fasting will bear no fruit.
When you fast, if your mercy is thin, your harvest will be thin; when you fast, what you pour out in mercy overflows into your barn. Therefore, do not lose by saving, but gather in by scattering. Give to the poor and give to yourself. You will not be allowed to keep what you have refused to give to others.
Let us keep a holy Lent in prayer, fasting and mercy. Amen.
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